Lake City Honda Kawasaki

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Honorable Mention 2008

Owners: George Tubbs, Charlie Tubbs
Location: Warsaw, Ind.
Store Size: 16,000 sq. ft.
Years in Business: 28
Vehicle Brands Carried: E-Ton, Honda, Kawasaki
URL: www.lakecityhonda.comStrengths: In May 2007, Lake City Honda Kawasaki's George and Charlie Tubbs were faced with the toughest test a dealership could face: pleasing a pair of BMW owners. The riders, a couple on a 19-day vacation, encountered trouble with their Beemer only 125 miles into their trip. After making some calls they landed at Lake City, where George and Charlie attempted to provide a diagnosis — on a marque the shop doesn't even service — with some advice from Chicago BMW. It turned out the problem was pricey, so the couple ended their vacation and planned to get back home, but not before spending a night in Warsaw.

The Tubbs helped the couple find nearby accommodations, some places to eat and even directed them to a local artists community for a little sightseeing. The Tubbs let the couple use a shop truck to get around until a trailer arrived to haul the BMW back home.

"They went out of their way — way above and beyond what we would have ever imagined — and when we departed the next morning, our goodbyes were warm and heartfelt," wrote the couple in a letter to the magazine of the BMW Motorcycle Owners Association.

The Tubbs' service extends out into the community. The store joined forces with the American Legion to raise $20,000 needed to complete a handicapped-accessible restroom and concession stand at a local youth football field.

Last year also marked an event for a longtime customer of Lake City, the original owner of a 1981 Honda Gold Wing bought at the dealership. Al Judd made a special trip into the store so that the Tubbs could mark the moment when his odometer rolled over the 100,000-mile mark. When it hit 0.1 miles, Lake City congratulated him on his "new" bike and presented him with a new helmet.